Chapter 7: The Sunriders have “Good” Ideas

  Amos sat, staring into space and listening to the hammering of E’Tar’s fist on the table echoing in his ears. He was trying to fit the new leg into the hole but was finding it difficult as it was not the right size or shape. Amos snapped, “Could you please stop. You will give me a headache if you keep going.”

  “I…need…to fix this…table!” he grunted.

  “Can’t you think of something else? What about Avner? Why was Ari’El so angry with him? What did she mean it was his fault our house fell? And why is he here?”

  “I could use your help.”

  “I wonder where he is? Where would I even start looking…”

  E’Tar fumbled in his effort and the table crashed to its side again. He sighed. “Why does it matter?”

  Amos looked at him, aghast. “Why? Because I haven’t seen my brother in years. I thought he was dead and now he shows up out of nowhere. I have questions for him. And…I don’t want to lose him again.”

  E’Tar sat in the chair beside him, squinting at the light of the rising sun through the window. “Torun wanted to speak with you today.”

  “He can wait for now,” said Amos. “He will be there later. This is important. Where do you suppose Avner would be? And why would he be here of all places?”

  “You could try the palace first.”

  “You are brilliant, E’Tar! Get dressed quickly, we are going to go look.”

  “What…together? Why do I have to come?”

  “To…help…I don’t know.”

  “Can’t I just stay here?”

  “Please don’t make me go alone.”

  E’Tar sighed and stood up. “Fine. But can we eat something first?”

  *

  The early rays of the morning sun were shining on the top pillar of the Sanctum as Roshana crossed the courtyard and approached the figure of Torun, slumped over in a chair. She hesitated near him, peering at him to make sure he wasn’t sleeping. “Athelward Torun?”

  He stirred with a snore and gazed blearily up at her. “Wh…oh, good morning, Roshana. Good morning. What can I do for you?”

  “I was about to head out into the city to perform my work but I was hoping there was an Athelward available to guide me and act as a protector. If my welcome to the city is any sort of indication, I think I will need some protection.”

  “And you thought to ask me? That is sweet…don’t you think I am a little old?”

  “Oh…I didn’t mean you exactly. It could be anyone…”

  “I was joking. Anyway, I am but a visitor here at this sanctum, like you. My stay is, however, much longer.”

  “Oh…well…I don’t know anyone else here…and you seemed efficient and I thought you held some authority. I assumed…”

  Torun shook his head, chuckling as he stood. “No need to apologize. I make myself at home wherever I am. However, I am afraid to say that you will not likely find someone here to help you. The Athelward are not allowed to leave the building except for the direst of reasons.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  Roshana’s face fell and Torun quickly continued. “But there is another guest here who seems…well, if not skilled then at least competent enough to protect you. I cannot attest to her skill as a guide but she is a very willing and eager young person. I have been entertaining her since she arrived the day before you did…by listening to her talk about everything. I am sure she will be glad to accompany you around.”

  “She?”

  *

  Roshana was soon walking through the streets with a small woman, her hair wild and auburn, freckles dotting her face, and her lean body prancing about as she walked with an excited air. Her bow bounced on her back and her quiver of arrows and dagger swung at her side. She was animatedly chattering away without any need for a response. “What do you think is down that street? It doesn’t smell very good, best not to try it. Then again, much of the city doesn’t smell good. Not like nature. The wilderness has its share of bad smells, but nothing like what cities have. Are you hungry? We could stop at a shop nearby to get something. I’m not that hungry now but I know I will be later so maybe it would just be better to sate myself now and avoid feeling hungry altogether. Oh, hello!”

  She waved to a passer by who jerked away in surprise at this sudden and exuberant greeting. She giggled and kept right on going. “Funny how people greet each other by waving. Or clasping arms. Who ever thought that was a good idea? Someone just decided one day to clasp arms and said, ‘this is how we will greet each other from now on’. People can be so strange. Or why they decide to live in such big buildings, like the sanctum. Who thought it was a good idea to make a building like that? I suppose it holds many people, but still-”

  “Ninah, could you…how do you come up with so many things to say?” said Roshana, clearly flustered but trying to hide it.

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  Ninah appeared not to notice. “Oh, well, I just think of many things. My mother said I always did talk too much, but then again, so did she. Not that there were many people to talk to. Did you ever think about how many words we say per day? So many!”

  *

  E’Tar was still grumbling about following Amos in the search for his brother. “We don’t know your brother will be at the palace.”

  “But he is here for work,” said Amos. “He mentioned something about a venture. And there is no one in this city with money to pay him for his kind of work except Lord Rim-Sum or possibly the Athelward. Our best bet is to hang around the lord’s palace first and see if we spot him coming in or out.”

  “And when we find him, what then?”

  “I…I don’t know. Help him maybe. Or just see what he is doing. At any rate, I have questions.”

  “Help him?!”

  “I don’t know, E’Tar. I will know what to do when I find him.”

  “No, you won't,” E’Tar muttered.

  Amos glared at him, biting his lip. “I might.”

  *

  Avner awoke to the first light of dawn with a grunt and nearly toppled off his perch on the stack of hay. It was one of the few places in the barn that wasn’t covered in mud or dung. Then again, it was also unstable as the sheep began to eat at its foundation, finally causing him to fall. “What…hey! Get off!”

  The sheep ignored him and he noticed Haran stirring on the opposite side of him. He punched him in the side. “Move over, these beasts are about to pull me into the muck!”

  “Oh Creator,” muttered Haran. “We fell asleep! Tell me you only dropped off a minute ago.”

  “I’m afraid not…” muttered Avner, shifting higher on the stack and crawling over Haran in the process. “I don’t even know when I dropped off.

  “It was about the third hour of the night,” said Suti from her perch above them.

  “Oh…good morning, Suti,” said Avner. “Comfortable up there?”

  “More than you are.”

  Haran shoved Avner aside, causing him to nearly fall off the haystack. “Tell me you kept watch, Suti.”

  “I did, no thanks to you two. Nothing stirred, though I nearly woke you when something flew overhead in the night. Could have been flying raptors.”

  “Well, they aren’t being stolen in the night,” said Avner.

  “At least not last night,” said Suti. “That doesn’t mean they aren’t being taken.”

  “Well…there is nothing else for it. I say one of us goes into the tunnel that leads out and sees what’s in there. Maybe there’s a secret door. Hey, that’s an idea.”

  “One of us?” asked Haran. “I am not getting into that dung infested hole.”

  Avner looked at him in surprise. “You mean you aren’t going to pull your weight for the team?”

  “I do that well enough by getting you out of all the scrapes you get us into.”

  Avner glanced up at Suti who raised a harsh eyebrow at him and he threw up his hands. “I know, I know. You already did your part. Fine…I’ll do what no one else is brave enough to do.”

  Haran snorted. “Bravery isn’t my problem. It was your idea, you follow through with it.”

  Avner grumbled as he stepped into the muck below, shoved some sheep aside, and looked at the grated gate before him. “I need someone to open this. Haran?”

  Haran was forced to step down into the mess and take the weighted rope on one side of the gate. “Ready?”

  “Just do it.”

  Haran pulled and the wooden gate lifted on the pulley system. Some sheep began to move instinctually toward the gate as Avner ducked his head and crouched in the small passage, barely four and a half feet tall. The gate slammed shut behind him as the sheep reached the entrance and they began to bleat in protest, swarming around Haran. “Ugh, they smell awful.”

  “Oh, shut up,” muttered Avner, wrinkling his own nose as he moved in a half crouched position down the tunnel. It wasn’t long, moving through the building and outer city wall. At the end, the grassland outside was just visible. Avner scanned the walls, running his hand along them and searching for a crack, a seam, anything that indicated an opening in the wall. Upon reaching the end, he gazed out of the second wooden gate and saw men on horses gathering outside, preparing for the day's work. “Uh…oops.”

  Haran’s voice came from the tunnel. “Um…Avner. They say they need to let the sheep out…right now.”

  Avner turned around awkwardly in the tunnel and scrambled as best he could in the confined space. He heard the voices from the tunnel entrance beginning to rise in anger.

  “My friend is in there.”

  “No good. The sheep must go out now.”

  “I understand, just give him a moment…hurry up Avner!”

  “I have orders. I must.”

  “Just wait! Hey!”

  A scuffle ensued and, as Avner reached the grate, he saw it begin to rise and the sheep and goats, just on the other side, began to make a beeline for him. “Ooooh…”

  He made another awkward turn and began dashing for the opposite gate which had also begun to rise. “Avner!” called Haran. “Its opening!”

  “Really?! I hadn’t noticed” screamed Avner.

  He was almost to the opposite gate when he felt his behind butted by a head and several creatures tried to squeeze past him. He stumbled forward and barely kept his feet as the crowd of smelly, bleating animals bombarded him from behind, trying to shove past him. With a cry of desperation, he stumbled out of the gate and into the clearing, finally falling onto his stomach with a grunt. He felt hooves step on his back and he yelped, gasping as more animals came out of the tunnel and risked stepping on him. The stupid creatures let out bleats of alarm as they stumbled over him and he rolled away from several pairs of thrashing, kicking hooves nearly missing his head.

  The riders yelled in surprise and their horses balked as Avner leaped to his feet and pushed through the sheep and goats. He nearly ran into a horse and it skidded sideways. He collapsed against the wall of Hatisep, gasping for air and rubbing his bruised side where a hoof had clipped him. The rider nearest him pointed his staff at him and shouted, “What are you doing?! Who are you?!”

  Avner raised the hand not clasping his side as he muttered. “I’m…just looking for…tunnels.”

  “Eh?” The rider could hardly hear him over the bleating and tromping of hooves.

  “I work for Rim-Dim,” said Avner. “Dum-Rim…your lord! I work for the lord here! I’m investigating the theft of your livestock.”

  “Ah.” The man on the horse appeared nervous now. Avner caught the glances he exchanged with his companions who were busy herding the flock further out from the walls. “Do not disturb the sheep again! Be on your way.”

  He spurred his horse and trotted after his fellow herdsmen. Avner leaned against the wall and stared after the men. The herdsmen cast glances back at him and began to talk amongst each other. He winced and held his bruised ribs. “No promises, my friend.”

  *

  In the distance, on a large hill covered in brush and giant rocks, a dark figure hid within the shadows. His helmeted head, crowned with sharpened spikes, turned to survey the city of Hatisep in the distance and on the sheep herd scattering from a postern gate. The glowing, red eyes swept the horizon to study Athelward temple, rising high above the rest of the city. The metal bound mouth made no sound but its glowing eyes narrowed.

  The demon crouched low and lay in wait for darkness to return once more.